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A couple of weeks back I started noticing a sound similar to vent flap being sucked closed and then released. This would repeat throughout the run time. I didn't know if it was something I had noticed before, or if was caused by a couple of loads I'd been running and maybe tumbling heavy. Moving forward to current, I opened my dryer door as a load was finishing up, but I had stopped the dryer just as it was starting up one of the "anti-wrinkle" timed runs. When I opened the door, I smelled gas from inside the drum. I thought the reason for the gas smell was maybe because I opened the door just as the burning was igniting. When I checked the clothes, they were still damp. This made me think maybe it was caused by a clog or poor circulation of exhaust, thereby not allowing a good air/gas mixture for complete burn and also resulting in incomplete drying.

The exhaust hose (flexible) from machine to wall (4') was clear. The lint screen was clean. There was a small amount of build up in bottom of lint screen housing, but nothing substantial. It was cleaned out. The blower fan and housing were clear. The hard ducting from blower housing to the back of machine was clean. After inspection, I restarted the dryer with nothing in it. I started hearing the same low pressure "clap" or popping sound, and noticed the gas smell again. The only time I smell the gas is after I hear the burning kick in, and the smell is in the dryer. It's not coming from the gas line. With the front panel off, I was able to watch the start up of the dryer, and the cycling of the burning. The drum would spin for about 20 secs. Then, I would here the pronounced click of the fuse circuit energize. After about another 10 secs the igniter would energize and glow bright for about 15 secs. At this point, I could hear the valve coils click and the gas would flow and ignite. As the flame was ignited, the igniter would start to fade out, and eventually turn off. However, the flame was not a stable, projecting flame. It would curl around the end of the burner bracket and within 10 to 20 secs, the flame would start to become intermittent and create a backfire. The noise I'd previously thought was a vacuum popping sound was actually created by the flame exhausting out of the venturi opening at the base of the burner tube, then reigniting back up at the end of the burner tube, and repeating. This would last anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes. The flame never stabilizes, and eventually shuts itself down, but dryer will continue to run.

The flame sensor has continuity. The igniter has a resistance of 74ohm. The gas valve coils show 1-2: 1403; 1-3: 582; 4-5: 1312. Thermostat 1 has continuity. The Thermistor has a resistance of 11950. The HI-LimitThermostat has continuity. Even though the coils checked good, I thought they might still be the issue. I installed a new set of coils, but the condition of the flame did not improve. I even tried adjusting the diaphragm of the gas valve, but was never able to get the flame to stabilize and stay lit.

My question is, with what I have checked out and the results, would this point to the gas valve itself?

After ordering and receiving the new valve, in the process of removing the old valve from the burner assembly, I looked at the brass burner nozzle. The orifice of the burner nozzle was reduced to half the diameter by a yellow, cakey substance. I simple ran a small drill bit through by hand, just enough to clear the hole. I reassembled all of the original parts; nozzle, valve and burner, and installed back into the dryer. Everything works just fine.